In a first for Brazil and South America, the port city of Itajaí has provided a benchmark for other cities by committing to the United Nations Environment campaign to rid our oceans of plastic at an event in the Race Village.
Volnei Moratoni, the Mayor of Itajaí, in the state of Santa Catarina, signed up to the ambitious campaign and laid out his ambitions to tackle the crisis affecting our seas. Globally, a truckload of plastic ends up in our seas every minute. The mayor was inspired to sign up to the campaign after visiting New Zealand during the Volvo Ocean Race stopover. In Auckland, the New Zealand government signed up to the campaign.
The announcement was made during a Future of the Oceans event in the Race Village to explore solutions to the plastic problem.
Read the full press release here.
The Volvo Ocean Race returns to Newport from May 8th – 20th.
What’sUpNewp’s Volvo Ocean Race coverage is brought to you in part by Sightsailing Of Newport